Ukrainian officers mentioned Wednesday that two Chinese language nationals — a father and a son — had been detained and accused of trying to illegally switch categorised paperwork on a key Ukrainian missile system to Beijing.
In keeping with an announcement by the Ukrainian Prosecutor Normal’s workplace, an investigation by the Safety Service of Ukraine (SBU) intelligence company discovered the youthful man, a 24-year-old who was expelled from a Ukrainian college in 2023 for educational failure, remained in Ukraine and tried to recruit a Ukrainian nationwide who labored on the event of the “Neptune” guided missile system.
“It was established that the foreigner was collecting and was supposed to transfer to his father, who has close ties with the security agencies and the General Staff of China, documentation about the Neptune missile system,” the federal government mentioned in its assertion, calling the missiles “a unique weapon of the Defense Forces of Ukraine” that was utilized in an indicator assault on Russia’s navy in 2022.
A photograph offered by the Safety Service of Ukraine (SBU) on July 9, 2025, exhibits two brokers standing with a Chinese language nationwide, heart, accused of touring to the nation from China to switch paperwork obtained illegally by his son about Ukraine’s “Neptune” missile system again to Beijing.
Handout/Safety Service of Ukraine (SBU)
The SBU mentioned the person’s father entered Ukraine earlier this week to “personally coordinate his son’s spy work.”
Neither of the lads had been recognized.
In keeping with the Prosecutor Normal’s workplace, the 24-year-old was detained whereas within the strategy of passing the data to his father, who was detained two days later. The daddy visited the Chinese language Embassy in Kyiv a day earlier than he was detained, the assertion mentioned.
A photograph offered by the Safety Service of Ukraine (SBU) on July 9, 2025, exhibits an agent standing with a Chinese language nationwide accused of illegally acquiring categorised paperwork associated to Ukraine’s “Neptune” missile, with the intention of transferring them to officers Beijing.
Handout/Safety Service of Ukraine (SBU)
Chinese language officers have mentioned repeatedly that the nation’s stance on the Ukraine warfare is considered one of neutrality, however a U.S. Division of Protection report issued on the finish of 2024 concluded that China has supported Russia within the warfare and offered Russia dual-use objects which might be essential to Moscow’s navy trade.
Below the Biden administration, then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned in early 2023 that the U.S. authorities was involved Beijing was contemplating augmenting its assist for Russia with “everything from ammunition to the weapons themselves.”
China has continued to disclaim taking sides within the warfare, however it has deepened its relationship with Moscow, each politically and militarily, considerably in recent times.
The Neptune system is a domestically designed Ukrainian cruise missile that has been in service with the Ukrainian navy since March 2021. The nearly-2,000 pound guided missiles are designed to focus on each ships and land targets, and it proved profitable within the first months of the warfare when it was used to sink the Moskva guided missile cruiser, which was the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
The Russian guided missile cruiser “Moskva,” the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, is seen anchored close to Mumbai, India, in a Might 21, 2003 file picture. The ship was destroyed by a Ukrainian missile strike in 2022.
Roy Madhur/REUTERS
The missiles, which have a spread of about 174 miles, are a significant weapon for Ukraine because it seeks to defend its Black Sea coastal space. It has additionally been deployed elsewhere and struck navy targets together with an airbase in Russia’s Kursk area final 12 months, based on Ukraine’s navy.
The unique Neptune design was upgraded to increase its vary and scale back Ukraine’s reliance on weapons offered by the U.S. and Europe.
The 2 Chinese language males had been to stay in custody throughout a pre-trial investigation. If discovered responsible of the costs, they may face jail sentences of as much as 15 years.
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